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This invention relates generally to a composition for cleaning and maintaining a surface and in particular a stone surface. More particularly it relates to such a composition which provides for regular cleaning of some surfaces while maintaining a high gloss finish.
Marble is a natural stone that is relatively soft, therefore resulting in scratching and other surface damage which requires a high degree of maintenance. Additionally, marble and other stone surfaces are often reactive to components found in common cleaners and polishes. For these reasons considerable care must be taken in order to maintain a healthy looking surface. Other types of stone flooring including terrazzo, magnesite, limestone, granite and travertine also need to be maintained at a high level to reduce or remove scratches.
Organic acids such as oxalic acid have been used to clean and xe2x80x9crecrystallizexe2x80x9d stone type surfaces, in particular, floors. One drawback in using such a composition is the lengthy application time and subsequent cumbersome clean up. For example, typical applications of oxalic acid or oxalic acid based products requires about 15 to 30 minutes per 20 to 25 square feet. Such compositions are applied as powder or slurry along with copious amounts of water with buffing. The composition is not allowed to dry, as significant, undesirable streaking will occur. The subsequent clean up involves moving the product to the next section of the floor or mopping up the residue. Additionally, during application, the composition must continually be removed to determine the level of gloss achieved. Lack of control in the process as well as labor intensive, messy application and clean up, are significant problems encountered when using such composition. Additionally, after the desired gloss is achieved, the daily maintenance of such a high gloss surface is difficult to maintain. Often times streaking and xe2x80x9cfish eyesxe2x80x9d are a problem with commonly used cleaners. Further, over time, a dulling of the high gloss finish becomes a problem.
In summary, a considerable number of deficiencies exist in the art relating to stone surface maintenance composition and methods of application. While prior art cleaning compositions may adequately clean the surface, the use of common surface cleaners result in a dulled finish, streaking and fish eyes. Also, many compositions tend to etch the surface and cause considerable damage to the substrate. Thus, the more labor intensive and time consuming recrystallization and/or polishing exercise must be frequently repeated to maintain the desired appearance.
Thus, there is an ongoing search for maintenance compositions which can be spread easily, clean the surface while maintaining the desired high gloss without streaking dulling, fish eyes, etching or other damage to the stone surface. Clearly there is a need for improved and novel stone surface maintenance compositions that provide adequate cleaning while maintaining the high gloss finish of such surfaces. In particular, there is a need for improved maintenance compositions, which overcome the shortcomings of the prior art.
It is an object of this invention to provide a surface maintenance composition which overcomes some of the problems and shortcomings of the prior art. A further object of the invention is to provide a maintenance composition that can be used on stone surfaces in an efficient manner. Another object of this invention is to provide a maintenance composition for stone surfaces which maintains the high gloss while maintaining a level of cleaning capability for stone surfaces. Another object of the invention is to provide a daily maintenance cleaner for use on stone surfaces that reduces streaking and other undesirable adverse appearance effects. Still another object of the invention is to provide a daily maintenance composition for stone surfaces which does not dull or streak or etch or otherwise damage the surface. These and other important objects will be apparent from the following description.
The present invention is directed to a cleaning composition which includes a non-ionic surfactant, a quaternary ammonium surfactant and water. Additionally, a neutralizer can be included in the composition. The composition can optionally include fragrance or other appearance enhancing additives. Typical compositions include about 0.01 to 0.50 weight percent of a non-ionic surfactant, about 0.003 weight percent to about 0.50 weight percent quaternary ammonium surfactant and about 90 to 99.97 weight percent water. A neutralizer can be present in amounts ranging from about 0.0001 to about 0.0005 weight percent of the composition. Further, the composition can include about 0.0001 to about 0.01 weight percent or more of a fragrance.
The non-ionic surfactants of the inventive composition can include alkanolamides, amine oxides, block polymers, ethoxylated alcohols, ethoxylated alkyl phenols, ethoxylated fatty acids, ethoxylated fatty esters and oils, sorbitan derivatives, sucrose esters, glucose esters and derivatives thereof. Alternatively, blends of these non-ionic surfactants can be utilized. Preferably, the non-ionic surfactant is an ethoxylated alcohol.
The quaternary ammonium surfactants of the present invention are preferably quaternary ammonium chlorides such as di(octyl decyl)dimethyl ammonium chloride.
Typical neutralizers can include alkaline, alkali and alkaline earth salts such as sodium hydroxide, sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium hydroxide, potassium bicarbonate, potassium carbonate, magnesium hydroxide, magnesium carbonate, calcium hydroxide, calcium carbonate and other neutralizing materials that are well known to those skilled in the art. One preferred neutralizer is sodium hydroxide.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention include about 0.02-0.2 weight percent of a non-ionic surfactant, about 0.005-0.1 weight percent of quaternary ammonium surfactant and about 95-99.97 weight percent of water. The preferable amount of neutralizer in the inventive composition is 0.0001 to about 0.0005 or enough to achieve a pH of about 7.
Such compositions have been found to be useful in the maintenance of stone surfaces to maintain a high gloss finish without damage to the high gloss finish or the stone surface. The inventive compositions can be used daily as a maintainer and/or cleaner for the stone surfaces without damage or distortion of the high gloss finish.